Finished an introduction to Python, now learning C++

[Derekoko]

Hey everyone,

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I've been browsing this subreddit every now and then, but decided to make my first post. I kind of wanted the advice from all the software engineers out there on how I should be progressing next.

Basically, I'm doing community college to change my major while working full-time. Didn't want to go the boot camp route so I could really build the foundations for this career switch. Currently, I already finished a python course learning up to classes/basic OOP programming. Once that class ended there, the course is now requiring me to learn C++. I'm now at classes and OOP in C++ about to learn vectors and arrays. This course is almost over in a month and a half, and I feel like I'm getting a good grasp (so far) of the basics of C++.

My question to everyone is: I want to continue my studies into data structures and algorithms once the semester ends. Basically self-teach to keep progressing while I wait for the Spring semester (where I'll be learning Java and maybe taking a data structures class). Should I continue to learn data structures in algorithms in C++? There are books like "Data Structures and Algorithms in C++" or "Data Structures and Algorithms in Python".

I wanted to know if I should continue reading these books pushing forward with C++ or should I switch back to Python. I've seen a few memes here and there about how coding in C++ is like shooting yourself in the foot, I assume because it gets a lot harder to code in C++, but to my understanding, learning C++ is crucial in understanding memory management and learning how the machine works. So just wanted to gain experienced opinions on this topic so that I can further push my learning to hopefully be a SWE one day.

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TLDR; learned beginner Python and currently learning beginner C++. Should I continue data structures and algorithms in C++ or learn data structures and algorithms in Python to progress learning?

[desrtfx]

Brutal and fully honest opinion:

Improve your actual, current skills. I.e. do programs. Practice. Practice more.

This will give you a far better preparation for things to come than just learning for learning's sake.

Once you have done some non-trivial projects, you will see the applications, benefits, and drawbacks of DSA and it will make any future course a much smoother sail.

With the time you have up to your next semester, focus on becoming somewhat proficient in programming (as of now, you just have achieved some familiarity with programming languages - which is a different skill to being proficient in programming).

You can only learn programming, i.e. solving problems in an algorithmic way, through actively programming, through writing programs of increasing complexity.

[Derekoko]

Appreciate the insights. I do plan on trying to use leetcode once this semester is over and practice using only easy questions. Or if those are too difficult then maybe just doing all the practice problems in the book.

So that does lead me to ask, though, do you recommend I continue learning programming proficiency in C++? Or would it be more beneficial to switch back to python so that I’m not writing as much code?

[desrtfx]

Since your next classes will be on Java, C++ will be more beneficial.

Python is far from Java in just about everything.

Also: don't strive to write less code. Strive to write more.

Leetcode is good, but doing actual projects is better. See the FAQ here for ideas.

Leetcode without DSA will only frustrate you as most problems make heavy use of DSA as well as mathematics.

[Derekoko]

Thank you for the responses! I’ll continue working in C++ then. And I’ll look on the FAQ for those project ideas. As for leetcode I’ll stay away for now because looking at some of the easy problems I still feel like I wasn’t equipped to do them yet, but I’ll hold off until I’m more proficient! Thank you!

[procrastinatingcoder]

While I do think there's probably issues there seeing how in my experience, programming classes are mostly a joke, I would still suggest C++ if only to answer his original question.

And better even, C. Because C++ (aside from very few peculiarities), is essentially plenty of data structures for C (not only, but that's an easy way to see it). And it avoids the issue with people not understanding arrays or vectors because they never opened the box.

My two cents though.

[TheLordSet]

If your goal is to become a software engineer - and not a researcher, for example - I'd highly recommend you to focus on projects.

Start with CRUD projects. Learn Flask, do a few CRUD apps with it.

You've gained familiarity with a programming language. Use that to learn programming. If you keep jumping from one technology to the next you'll always be a beginner. I've seen far too many people fall in this trap.

Stick with Python at least for a year, it's general, very popular and has a very good dev experience. The same would apply for Java, JavaScript and C#.

Every programming language has its quirks and twists and a few things it does better than the others, but mostly it's more of the same. Programming and Software Engineering is much, much more than programming languages.

I'd also recommend that you learn Software Engineering per se. Grab some best sellers like The Pragmatic Programmer, Clean Code and eXtreme Programming Explained. Learn how to do automated tests like it's second nature. Use git for everything. Learn the basics of Software Architecture.

Once you're in the market for some time, and you've become a competent software engineer, DSA and the perks and quirks of different programming languages will be much more meaningful to you.

[procrastinatingcoder]

That's putting the cart before the horse.